


Safe as Houses

by What_we_are



Category: The Killing
Genre: Best Friends, Canon Lesbian Character, Gen, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-26
Updated: 2014-09-01
Packaged: 2018-02-14 21:49:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2204313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/What_we_are/pseuds/What_we_are
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><br/>Bullet and Kallie enjoy a respite from the Seattle streets when they squat at the Stansbury house.</p>
<p>Content warnings on each chapter, but there's nothing very bad. Mostly they just get clean, and warm, and eat the Stansbury's food.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: Bullet masturbates, but it's not graphic. Canonical teenage prostitution is alluded to. No violence.

Kallie wasn't making any move to leave their hiding place in the bushes. In fact, she dropped from a crouch to a seated position. The ground was wet, but Bullet sat down too.

It was dark out and it was dark inside the glass house, making it hard to be sure no one was inside.

“How do you know they’re gone?” Kallie asked, even though Bullet had explained it all on the bus ride out there.

“I told you, I know this girl Kat who used to live down in their guest house by the water. She said they go on the same ski trip every year.”

“Why’d she tell you about it instead of just crashing here herself?”

“I don’t know. She’s got her own place now. She doesn't care. Let’s just go in. The back door doesn't lock. It’s busted or something.”

Kallie bit her fingernail.

“No one's home. I came by yesterday and knocked on the front door-- no one answered.”

Kallie shoved her and managed to exclaim in a whisper. “No you didn't! What would you have said if someone did answer?!”

“I don’t know. I’d say I was selling magazine subscriptions, or I was a Jehovah’s Witness or something. It doesn't matter. Nobody’s in there. The cleaning lady already came yesterday, so if we keep the lights off and stay quiet, we can hang out until they come back Sunday.”

Kallie kept staring at the house. From their position they could sorta almost see into the master bedroom, while keeping an eye on the driveway, and part of the extensive deck overlooking the water. There wasn't enough moonlight through the clouds to see any of it very clearly.

“It’s frickin cold out here.” Bullet complained.

She wished her pants didn't have holes in the knees. She had some thermals in her satchel, but they didn't fit under these jeans. There would be clean fresh pajamas inside the house. And soup. Most people who had a house had a can of chicken noodle or tomato in the cupboard. These people could afford a pallet of it. Hopefully they weren't into some weird diet, or just ordering in and never keeping any groceries around.

Kallie’s hair was wet and she kept wiping her nose. 

Bullet needed to get her inside. “Let’s go in and make some hot tea or soup or something. I think it’s starting to rain again.”

“That’s not rain. It’s just the drips from the rhododendron leaves.”

Bullet couldn't believe how long this was taking. “Okay. It’s drips. It’s still wet. I bet they got all kinds of boxed chocolates and bath salts from Lush and--”

“I've never stolen from a person before.”

“If you don’t want to use anything, we don’t have to, but it’s not like they’ll miss it. They’re loaded. The dad’s an architect. Kat said he designed this house. Plus they're assholes. They kicked her out over a Popsicle, and they make the cleaning lady dress like an old fashion maid, like in a skirt and shit. Kal, I’m talking about food and stuff; not stealing their jewelry or anything.”

“I like jewelry.” 

Bullet pretended to be more exasperated than she was. She made her eyes comically wide. “Steal or don’t steal. Whatever. I just want to get dry and warm.”

“If an alarm goes off, we should split up and meet at the bridge.”

“Yeah. Same as always. You wanna wait here, while I go in and make sure it’s cool?”

When Kallie nodded, her star earrings stood out in the dark.

The back door facing the pool and the Puget Sound slid open without triggering an alarm or even a motion sensor light. Bullet quickly stepped in without bothering to close it. She set down her backpack.

Everything was white. The carpets, furniture, walls: all white, like it was a magazine picture instead a real place where real people lived. All of the beds were empty.

She took a beer out of the fridge and found a bottle opener. It felt good to drink out of a glass bottle. The times she’d snuck into bars she’d been surprised that people ordered draft beers in glasses; the whole point of beer was that it was butch. If she was was going for what tasted good, she’d mix rum and pop. This beer was way darker than a forty. It was like concentrated.

She drank and rechecked the master bedroom. The bed covers were flat and tidy. Bullet couldn't see outside where Kallie was probably still hiding. There must have been a little light from the living room causing her see her own reflection instead of the outdoors.

“Hey, don’t freak out.” Kallie whispered behind her.

Bullet turned and hugged her. Kallie hugged her back and took the beer out of her hand.

“Do all of these rooms have such big fuckin windows?” she asked before taking a swig.

“Yeah. The upstairs is the same.”

“I want to watch TV. And eat. What’s in the fridge? Good stuff or weird rich food?”

“I didn't really look.” The kitchen could be full of nothing but vegetables, but at least they were here together, with a pane of glass between them and the weather.

Kallie was afraid someone might see the light if they opened the fridge again. She insisted they close the pantry door and put a towel under it before flipping the light switch in there. Which was fine with Bullet; she liked small spaces. They sat side by side and filled up on gourmet potato chips, Thin Mints, and Samoas. When the bottle of beer was gone, they drank room temperature seltzer from small glass bottles.

* * *

  


Kallie liked the teenage girl’s room. “Well, is it cool if I stay in here and you take one of the other rooms?”

“Totally.” Bullet got up off the stranger’s bed and said “goodnight”.

Lyric called her back. “Hey Bullet. Um, are you gonna stay in one of the other kid’s room’s?”

“Why?”

“I was thinking we should, like, put some cans on a string or something across the top of the stairs.”

It was too dark to see each other’s expressions.

“I could put stuff in front of the sliding glass door.”

Bullet found the canned food in the dark, and used it to stack two pyramids in front of the door.

* * *

  


It took about twenty seconds to find the “back massager” in the master bedroom. She used her lighter to see what was in the bedside drawers and where the closest outlet was. The thing was fucking huge and loud but it worked fast. She thought about Lyric’s sweet face and killer body. Bullet had accidentally seen it all while Lyric was changing in the girl’s room at Beacon.

Getting off didn't make her sleepy. She kept snooping. There was nothing cool on the woman's side of the walk-in closet. The rich guy had some old fashioned stripped blue pajamas and a robe. Bullet put them on and took the vibrator up to Kallie.

When she tapped on the door to the teen girl’s en suite bathroom, Kallie invited her in. She had a couple of scented candles lit and tons of bubbles practically hiding her in the tub.

“Dude, look at the size of this vibrator.”

“Oh my God! You probably used it didn’t you?”

“You know, when in Rome. You wanna try it?”

“I’m not using that thing that’s been up against a stranger.”

Bullet did the classy thing and didn't bring up how Kallie made her money. 

“Your loss. Just thought I’d offer.”

She tossed it on Kallie’s bed as she left.

* * *

  


Bullet woke up like she always did, anxious about where she was and if Lyric was there with her. The firm mattress gave it away. She was used to a saggy mattress, or a hard surface.

She put off taking a piss and checked that the cans were still stacked in front of the door.

_If I can see it, some pervert opening the door can probably see it too. Doesn't matter. Nobody would creep on a rich house. It looks like it would have a security system. They’re fuckin idiots to not to._

* * *

  


The second time she woke up, it was because someone was in the room with her. She reached for the knife in her pocket.

“Good morning sunshine,” her friend called in a sing-song voice that would be intolerable from anyone else. “I made you pancakes with gummy bears, coconut, Craisins, and butterscotch chips.”

“Serious?”

Kallie held out the plate as proof. There were about five fat pancakes on a platter with two forks. The gummy bear colors made it look like fruitcake.

Bullet sat up and took a fork.

“They don’t have real syrup, but they have little glass bottles shaped like maples leaves.”

Bullet shrugged. “Sounds great. Is there peanut butter?”

Her companion came back with almond butter and a small bottle of syrup. “These people have so much money they’re confused about how to spend it all. A big thing of Mrs. Butterworth’s costs five bucks, but they spent three times that on this tiny thing.” She pointed out the price tag.

“These are so good Kal. You should make more on Sunday so we can wrap them up in foil to take with us.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a little more to say about Bullet and Kallie for the few of us that are interested. Especially you, Glowcult.
> 
> This chapter is from Kallie’s pov and she recalls inappropriate things men have said to her. Past abuse and underage prostitution are alluded to.
> 
> The pedophile neighbor who photographs Phoebe Stansbury is NOT watching Kallie and Bullet.

They sat on the Stansbury's bed and took in a million dollars’ worth of waterfront view. It was overcast, making it impossible to tell, just by looking at the sky, if it was morning, noon, or evening.

The pancakes _did_ turn out nicely. Kallie was pleased with herself, and with Bullet's compliments. Not everyone would appreciate the mix of flavors, but Bullet was always good at accepting a gift, especially an edible one.

This was the kind of meal her mother would throw in the garbage, while bitching at her about wasting food. To be honest, that batch at her mom’s house hadn't been as good because she mixed the pancake mix and milk and eggs and candy all together at the same time, causing pockets of dry mix. And they got a little burned. Burned on the outside, not-so-cooked in the middle. Whatever. It was her mom’s fault for yelling at her while she was trying to cook.

It was easy to cook here, in the big fancy kitchen, with no one around. None of her mom’s boyfriends saying shit like,“You’re barefoot and in the kitchen; only one thing’s missing.”

Kallie stabbed a Gummie Bear with her fork. No reason to think about any of them now. There were no men here, just her and Bullet in a house that felt like a spaceship. No reason to think about anything except the next three days and four nights.

Hanging out with Bullet was safer than than being alone. Bullet made a big show of protecting her, and Kallie had her back too, just in a quieter, more watchful way. She steered Bullet clear of dangerous situations, and got her to walk away from disagreements before they became fights. 

For now, the futuristic house would protect them both. Kallie imagined there was a force field around them. The relief of being in this clean, peaceful house was hard to describe. So she didn't.

“I used that vibrator.”

Bullet smiled. “I knew you would, you big perv. It’s loud huh?”

“Did you hear me?”

“No. Don’t blush. It makes your checks clash with your hair.”

“Shut up.”

Kallie finished eating and used the white bed linens as a napkin.

“You think, when you’re a vet, you’ll make enough to get a house like this?”

“How would I know? I gotta save up for college first.”

Kallie changed the subject. “We could invite Lyric and Twitch and Rayna out here.”

“Are you kidding? We need to keep a low profile. We can’t have druggies in here being obnoxious.”

“What’s Lyric into?”

“I don’t know, but Twitch has track marks. Rayna’s cool, but I don’t want to hang out with her if she’s gonna be tweeking, or all helpless on E. If we tell them about this place, they’ll text other people to come out, and we’ll all end up arrested.”

Kallie turned to investigate the woman's cosmetics, and set aside some eye shadows to take to Rayna and Lyric. Then she went in the walk-in-closet and started trying on the woman’s clothes. They were a good size for her, but laughable styles.

“Isn't this lady, like, fifty or something?” she asked, as she sashayed out of the closet in a pink tank top and matching tennis skirt with pleats.

“Oh, man. Please let me take your picture in that shit.”

Kallie found a tennis racket and posed. 

* * *

After a long discussion of the risks, they decided they probably wouldn't be spotted if they sat in the hot tub.

Kallie ran upstairs and tried on all of the teenage daughter’s swimsuits. She was enjoying her shaved legs and clean hair. It had been so long since she’d had a bath. Her mom’s house only had a standing shower. Who would even build a house like that?

When Kallie went outside, Bullet was already in the sunken spa next to the infinity pool.

Just like how everything inside the house was white, everything outside was grey. It was drizzling so much that even the green trees appeared grayish through the mist of precipitation.

Bullet saw her in the neon floral bikini. “Woah. You should keep that, Kallie. It looks good on you.” 

“When would I ever wear it?”

“People lay out to tan in parks sometimes. Snag a beach towel and you’ll be all set.”

“I’m not gonna carry around a towel for four months or whatever,” she answered, while cautiously stepping into the steaming water.

Bullet was checking out the control panel. “Yeah, but we could switch out for some new clothes. A bikini wouldn't take up any room in your bag.”

“Are you going to take those pajamas and robe? I can just see you at Beacon walking around at breakfast wearing a robe-“

“Shut up”

“-having your morning coffee and a doughnut.” Kallie giggled. “Reading the newspaper!”

Bullet shook her head, and pretended it wasn't a funny image.

“That picture in the living room has a boy our age. He’s probably got something I could wear. I want bigger jeans that I can wear thermals under.”

“There are sports bras in my room that might fit you.”

They’d been hanging out for months and this was the first time Kallie had seen Bullet in her bra and boxers. All of them had been through things, but Bullet was the only one who wouldn't change her clothes in front of anybody. And she’d rather eat out of a dumpster than take a date for cash.

Kallie decided not to think about it. She sunk in the hot water, up to her neck, and tilted her face upward. “It feels good to have cold rain on my face, when everything else is hot in the water.”

“The best time to hot tub is when it’s snowing. The snowflakes disappear in the steam before they hit you.”

Kallie knew Bullet’s family had money. She’d mentioned driver's ed., and eating at the Space Needle.

“Your parents have a hot tub?”

“It doesn't matter what they have. We can’t go there.”

“I thought your dad was cool. He sends you money.”

“He sends it so he won’t feel guilty if I freeze to death. It’s like an apology for letting my mom kick me out.”

They sat in silence.

“Did you find any cash yet?” Bullet asked.

“There’s twenty bucks in an envelope on the fridge.”

“I was thinking I wanna buy some blue Manic Panic and do streaks in my hair.”

“You have to bleach it first. I know the stuff. It costs, like, ten bucks. You really want to risk going out to the mall and coming back? Somebody might see us.”

“You're probably right.” Bullet continued with a playful question, “What do you think would be the coolest color for a cat?”

“Blue. Maybe pink.”

“I think green. I’d like to see a green long hair Persian. You know why they’re called Persians?”

“Cause they were worshiped as gods in Persia?”

“That’s Egypt. The Persians kept long hair cats, so they could make calligraphy brushes from their fur.”

Kallie could tell that her friend was going into fact sharing mode, but she didn't mind. She liked to see Bullet get excited about things.

“Right out there, in the water, there are some of the biggest cephalopods in the world. They live under big rocks about 60 feet down, where it’s always cold.”

“What?”

“Octopuses. Huge ones, with arm spans of 30 feet. They're not that far away from where we're sitting, but it's a whole different world. They go anywhere they want: deep water, shallow water, through tight spots between rocks. They can even move on land if they have to. Did you know their blood is light blue? And they have three hearts?"

* * *  



End file.
